SPORTSCENTER ACROSS AMERICA July 17 – Sept. 4 June 20, 2005 ESPN’s flagship news and information program will embark on an unprecedented enterprise with SportsCenter Across America, a 50-states-in-50-days summer tour starting Sunday, July 17 when the entire 11 p.m. ET show, hosted by Chris Berman and Stuart Scott, will originate from Fenway Park following the Yankees-Red Sox game. The 50 States 50 Days initiative will continue the next 49 consecutive days when SportsCenter will traverse the nation, stopping at a sporting event in a different state each day through September 4. (Day-by-day scheduleto follow) Each SportsCenter Across America segment will originate from a mobile SportsCenter set with an anchor and a live audience at a sporting event germane to the state. These daily segments will include event action, historical notes, factoids and vignettes about each state’s contribution to the national sports scene, as well as “Best” lists compiled from ESPN research and ESPN.com voters, and several long-form features. “This is a phenomenal opportunity for ESPN to touch our viewers, to personally meet the fans who watch us every day,” said Norby Williamson, senior vice president and managing editor. “Along the way, we will educate our viewers about the varied sporting events popular throughout the country, and point out the well-known, and perhaps not-so-well- known, athletes and events from each state.” Joining opening night co-hosts Berman and Scott as SportsCenter Across America anchors will be John Anderson, Steve Berthiaume, Linda Cohn, Rece Davis, Neil Everett, Brian Kenny, Steve Levy, Kenny Mayne, Chris McKendry, Dan Patrick, Scott Van Pelt, Matt Winer and Trey Wingo. “I’ve been fortunate to travel the country in 26 years with ESPN, and the one thing that has impressed me about our network, and SportsCenter in particular, is that everyone feels we reach out to them -- whether it’s the South, the West, the Midwest, we always feel welcomed wherever we go,” Berman said. “This gives us the chance to get a little closer to our fans, and it’s a small way to say ‘Thanks,’ because ESPN would not be what it is today without support from all 50 states. So, just like the U.S. Senate, every state is represented equally on this tour.” Supporting the 50 States 50 Days tour will be presenting sponsors Bud Light (6 p.m. SportsCenter), American Express (11 p.m.), and Coca-Cola (1a.m.). ESPN will capitalize on its expertise of televising thousands of hours of live, remote programming each year by sending five experienced production teams on the road to achieve 50 States 50 Days. They will present a look at an eclectic list of events ranging from duck calling in Louisiana and the annual Elvis 5K Road Race in Memphis, to professional golf, NFL and NASCAR. ESPN.COM FOLLOWS SPORTSCENTER VIA MANY FORMATS ESPN.com will allow fans to follow SportsCenter’s 50 States 50 Days online, with full coverage beginning July 13. A special section of the leading sports Web site will be devoted to SportsCenter Across America and will include an interactive map highlighting each state; ESPN Motion video, including original behind-the-scenes footage and content from the SportsCenter programs; state-specific pages with facts, figures and SportsNation polls; editorial focusing on events and states throughout the tour; and regular SportsNation chats with notable figures from the state highlighted that day. SPORTSCENTER ON THE ROAD While ambitious in its nature, 50 States 50 Days is the latest example of SportsCenter going on the road, following last year’s week at an Army base in Kuwait, to annual trips to the Super Bowl, NBA Finals and other major events. SportsCenter Debut: September 7, 1979, ESPN’s first show. Flagship: SportsCenter is ESPN's flagship studio show and television's only nightly, one-hour sports news program. Offering in-depth reports on breaking news, creative highlights, features and in-depth analysis from award-winning journalists, SportsCenter is television's most comprehensive and longest- running sports news show. The 25,000th show was aired August 25, 2002. Viewership: As many as 88 million people a month watch SportsCenter. Media Contact: ESPN Communications (860) 766-2000 -- State-by-state schedule on following pages -- SPORTSCENTER ACROSS AMERICA DATE CITY, STATE EVENT July 17 Boston, Mass. Yankees-Red Sox Best rivalry in sports? July 18 Manchester, New Hampshire Akron Aeros-New Hampshire Fisher Cats Eastern League AA Baseball July 19 Nampa, Idaho Snake River Stampede Professional Rodeo July 20 Dyersville, Iowa Field of Dreams Built for 1988 Kevin Costner movie July 21 Fairbanks, Alaska World Eskimo-Indian Olympics Largest cultural event in Alaska July 22 Staunton, Virginia Foosball Spectacular 4th annual Thunder in the Mountains event July 23 Oakes, North Dakota Cal Ripken Baseball Tournament Most experienced level of Babe Ruth ball July 24 Wakeeney, Kansas 95th Annual Trego County Fair Chainsaw artist, paintball, rodeo, etc. July 25 Newport, Rhode Island Swan American Regatta 70 boats competing in Narragansett Bay July 26 Hood River, Oregon U.S. Windsurfing National Champ ages 10-70 compete upwind, downwind, slalom July 27 Lost Prairie, Montana Skydive Lost Prairie Jump Meet 420 skydivers made 6,600 jumps in 2004 July 28 Philadelphia, Mississippi Neshoba County Fair harness racing at fair dating back to 1889 July 29 Seattle, Washington Freestyle Frisbee Championship. players expected from all over the world July 30 Heber Springs, Arkansas Cardboard Boat Racing Championship 100 boats of cardboard, tape, glue, paint July 31 Grand Blanc, Michigan PGA TOUR Buick Open Vijay Singh defends his ’04 championship August 1 Durham, North Carolina Charlotte Knights-Durham Bulls team in Costner’s Bull Durham hosts AAA game August 2 St. Louis, Missouri Marlins-Cardinals last 2 NL champs at Busch Stadium’s last season August 3 Las Vegas, Nevada National Darts Championship 600 competitors from around the world August 4 Los Angeles, California Summer X Games XI Nearly 200,000 fans attended X Games X August 5 Cody, Wyoming Wild West Balloon Fest Hot-air balloon competitions and balloon glow August 6 Maui, Hawaii Hawaiian Canoe Racing Championships 3,000 paddlers last yr.@ Hankao’o Beach August 7 Indianapolis, Indiana Brickyard 400 NASCAR visits renowned Speedway August 8 Canton, Ohio AFC-NFC Hall of Fame Game Dolphins-Bears kick-off NFL pre-season August 9 Atlanta, Georgia Giants-Braves Is Bonds back chasing ex-Brave Aaron’s record? August 10 Sturgis, South Dakota Sturgis Motorcycle Rally half-million bikers visit town of 7,000 August 11 Surprise, Arizona Mesa Miners-Surprise Fighting Falcons Golden League @ Rangers/Royals Spring home August 12 Springfield, New Jersey PGA Championship (2nd round) First time Baltusrol hosts this event August 13 Memphis, Tennessee Elvis 5K Road Race Finish Line at gates of Graceland August 14 Sparta, Kentucky IndyCar Kentucky 300 @ Ky. Speedway 60,000 saw Adrian Fernandez win last year August 15 New York, New York Rucker Tournament: Entertainer’s Classic Iverson, Marbury, Garnett are alums August 16 Winsooki, Vermont Tri City Valley Cats-Vermont Expos Astros-Nationals Class A teams August 17 Odessa, Texas “Friday Night Lights” high school team practice Permian Panthers are 428-114-12 in 45-yr. history August 18 Snowshow Mountain, West Va. NORBA Mountain Biking 5,000 fans watch 2,000 bikers August 19 Wilmington, Delaware Lynchburg Hillcats-Wilmington Blue Rocks Class A Carolina League; Rocks are BoSox affil. August 20 Machias, Maine Pie-Eating Contest @ Annual Blueberry Festival 1 minute: eat all you can w/hands behind back August 21 St. Paul, Minnesota Saint Paul Inline Marathon 2,500 skaters along Mississippi River August 22 Chicago, Illinois Braves-Cubs Series dating to1876 resumes at night August 23 Williamsport, Pennsylvania Little League World Series Brett, Boggs, Carter & Ryan played here August 24 Peterson Air Force Base, Col. Armed Forces Women's Softball Home of U.S./Canada airspace protector August 25 Jacksonville, Florida Falcons-Jaguars Young QBs Vick & Leftwich collide August 26 New Haven, Connecticut Pilot Pen Tennis Tune-up for U.S. Open August 27 Port Republic, Maryland Jousting Tournament Official state sport; 1st state to have one August 28 Gueydan, Louisiana Gueydan Duck Festival Includes duck calling; “Duck Capitol of America” August 29 Salt Lake City, Utah Colorado Springs Sky Sox-Salt Lake Stingers Triple A Rockies-Angels affiliates August 30 Albuquerque, New Mexico World Senior Racquetball Competition Earl Acuff defends his age 85+ title August 31 Lincoln, Nebraska Cornhuskers football practice 2nd yr. under ex-Raiders coach Bill Callahan Sept. 1 Columbia, South Carolina So. Carolina-Central Florida Steve Spurrier's first game Sept. 2 McAlester, Oklahoma Prison Rodeo Only sanctioned rodeo behind prison walls Sept. 3 Auburn, Alabama Georgia Tech-Auburn Defending SEC champs open at home Sept. 4 West Allis, Wisconsin Highland Games & Celtic Fling Battle axe throw & border collie herding.